Laura Weiss

"As tech giants force-feed AI inevitability marketing and trumpet the technology's supposed benefits to society, a robust AI-resistance movement has emerged in response. ... The backlash against Friend was not just a rejection of one company, but emblematic of a larger struggle."

Columbia student arrested by DHS agents who posed as police officers Acting university president says agents misrepresented themselves to gain entry to the residential building

People are just being abducted now, in New York City… and a chilling question left unanswered is… WHERE did they take her? www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

NYU cancels affinity graduations - Washington Square News NYU canceled 13 culture, identity and faith-based graduation ceremonies due to the “current political climate,” according to student groups that are urging administrators to either rescind the order o...

NYU is only “liberal” when convenient. “NYU canceled 13 culture, identity & faith-based graduation ceremonies due to the “current political climate,” according to student groups that are urging admin to rescind the order or better explain their reasoning.” @thecity.nyc nyunews.com/news/2026/02...

Decades of evidence have shown that taking out kingpins does nothing to curb cartel activity and increases violence. But the idea of military power and might sounds good and appeals to macho politicians like Trump, but also many before him.

What About My Trip Yesterday in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, someone posted from their resort: “We are safe and sipping margaritas.

“The cartel and the resort grew from the same soil. One extracts pleasure. The other extracts everything else. The tourist moves through both without having to know it.” On El Mencho, colonialism, tourism and more: open.substack.com/pub/thehuman...

Volunteer with IndyKids - IndyKids IndyKids Volunteer Opportunities Do you have a passion for children’s literacy and progressive journalism? IndyKids helps students age 10-14 improve writing, reading and research skills while learning...

Looking for an uplifting volunteer opportunity?
Mentor for @indykidsnews.bsky.social, where you'll help kids produce a newspaper & teach them about current events and critical thinking
The spring workshop is March 7, 14, 21, & 28 w/ mentoring from 11-12:30pm remote!
indykids.org/volunteer-wi...

Long COVID linked to higher risk of depression, anxiety up to 3 years after infection

Gosh, I couldn't imagine why.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/lon...

I want whatever drugs Alysa Liu is taking that make her that chill

Long Covid is still here. I know – my life came to a stop because of it With more than 200 possible symptoms, long Covid isn’t easy to treat and diagnose. Rolled-back federal funding has led longhaulers to ask: is this all in my head?

Incisive piece by @sblitagent.bsky.social hits the nail on the head on the challenges of long Covid.
Important questions from @mtosterholm.bsky.social: "How many don’t even recognize what they have?”
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Rent Board Resignation Clears Path for Mamdani Rent Freeze Promise The new mayor is now able to appoint a majority to the Rent Guidelines Board, giving him the numbers for a signature campaign promise.

looks like Mamdani is gonna get his rent freeze this year after all. big news on the housing beat from @smaldo.bsky.social:

I don’t know who needs to hear Jesse Jackson leading the kids on Sesame Street in this beautiful call-and-response reminding them that every child is somebody, but here it is

These artists are making concerts safer with COVID-19 precautions - The Sick Times While most of the music industry has moved on, COVID-conscious performers have been working to prevent their shows from being superspreaders.

For @thesicktimes.org, I looked at the state of COVID safety in live music and how artists and event producers can still protect themselves and audiences thesicktimes.org/2026/02/17/t...

How RFK Jr.’s “MAHA” Quackery Is Making Flu Season Worse Across the country, the staggering costs of vaccine denialism are piling up, to deadly effect.

"..cases of flu reached their highest levels in the United States in 25 years... 22 million reported cases, 280,000 hospitalizations, and 12,000 deaths..." (60 in kids). Kennedy's HHS reacted with nonchalance, chaos, and active sabotage.

newrepublic.com/article/2059... via @lauralew105.bsky.social

Apropos of The Zeitgeist, there’s a bestseller book from lady year called The Favorites that’s about ICE DANCING and loosely based on WUTHERING HEIGHTS… just saying

Trump’s ICE Won’t Stop Abducting Kids Here are just some of the ways Trump’s ICE has terrorized thousands of children, like five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, since the administration took office.

The same week Liam was taken, federal agents also abducted two students in the nearby Hopkins school district and detained a two-year-old girl along with her father, before flying them to Texas.

@lilyericksonseltz.bsky.social reporting on how Trump’s ICE terrorizes children.

Hey, some “good” public health news

"Moderna's CEO announced the company will no longer invest in new Phase 3 vaccine trials for infectious diseases: 'You cannot make a return on investment if you don't have access to the U.S. market. Vaccines for Epstein-Barr virus, herpes, and shingles have been shelved.” 9:12 AM Feb 12, 2026 604.8K Views

In terms of what cures are being lost:

- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease

How RFK Jr.’s “MAHA” Quackery Is Making Flu Season Worse Across the country, the staggering costs of vaccine denialism are piling up, to deadly effect.

Excellent article by @lauralew105.bsky.social

newrepublic.com/article/2059...

RFK Jr. food pyramid site links to Grok, which says you shouldn’t trust RFK Jr. Grok generated a meal plan to fit RFK Jr.'s food pyramid, then explained why it's bad.

RFK Jr. says we should check with AI about what to eat and then AI totally dunked on his stupid dietary guidance.

Also @bethmariem.bsky.social is doing some downright incredible work, and this article is another tour de force of very professional shade.

How RFK Jr.’s “MAHA” Quackery Is Making Flu Season Worse Across the country, the staggering costs of vaccine denialism are piling up, to deadly effect.

“Many parents are already unsure if their child needs a flu vaccine, and the secretary’s statements can tip the balance and lead to less use,” said Dorit Reiss, a law professor and vaccine policy expert at the University of California Law, in a statement to The New Republic. trib.al/QZu3Lws

How RFK Jr.’s “MAHA” Quackery Is Making Flu Season Worse Across the country, the staggering costs of vaccine denialism are piling up, to deadly effect.

Inconsistent public health messaging “undermines trust,” said @zalaly.bsky.social. “All of that political turmoil and misinformation … has a true effect on people’s lives.” newrepublic.com/article/2059...

RFK Jr certainly knows.
Marty Makary certainly knows.
White House SHOULD and likely does know. And that’s the problem….

Abolition Is Still the Only Way Out of This Forget the useless so-called “reforms” to ICE and policing currently on offer. We need much more fundamental change.

Today in @thenation.com, originally entitled No Quick Fixes for Fascism
www.thenation.com/article/soci...

How RFK Jr.’s “MAHA” Quackery Is Making Flu Season Worse Across the country, the staggering costs of vaccine denialism are piling up, to deadly effect.

Why is flu season so bad this year? Lower vaccination rates, MAHA madness, and a poorly matched strain are part of the answer. But a less discussed aspect is a slew of research finding that prior Covid-19 infections can damage the immune system. @newrepublic.com newrepublic.com/article/2059...

Prasad overruled FDA staff to reject Moderna's flu vaccine application The rejection is the latest instance of Vinay Prasad overruling career FDA scientists to place vaccines under harsher scrutiny.

Gasped at this. They say the flu vaccine doesn’t work well then they reject research into a better one. It’s all a guise. www.statnews.com/2026/02/11/m...

Health care eligibility cuts add to Trump administration’s anti-immigrant attacks A slew of new policies that limit which immigrants qualify for health care benefits could have a severe impact on public health, advocates say

“We are in this world where no immigrant is supposed to feel welcome.” Beyond the front-line violence of the Trump admin's attacks lies another threat on immigrants' lives: new health care cuts that will leave millions more immigrants uninsured & unable to seek care, @lauralew105.bsky.social writes.

Jewish seniors are offering to hide their Haitian caregivers as Trump's TPS end looms - Jewish Telegraphic Agency "That reminds me of Anne Frank,” said the CEO of one Jewish senior residence reeling as Temporary Protected Status for Haitians is set to end.

“This is part of our Jewish identity and ethos, to serve our full community with Jewish values and welcoming the stranger. So this is all connected.” www.jta.org/2026/01/30/u...

@jlynch13.bsky.social can you follow for I can DM you? Thanks!

Health care eligibility cuts add to Trump administration’s anti-immigrant attacks A slew of new policies that limit which immigrants qualify for health care benefits could have a severe impact on public health, advocates say

Fewer immigrants will be eligible for healthcare due to Trumps HR 1. In addition, with many terrified to seek care due to Medicaid data being shared with ICE, their health is suffering --and the fear they're enduring is making it even worse. In @prismreports.org
prismreports.org/2026/02/03/h...

How Unsheltered New Yorkers Face Down the Cold: ‘It’s Survive or Die’ Some unsheltered New Yorkers say they prefer the freedom of the streets. Others say they have not been asked in.

This isn’t just “cold weather.” People are dying. www.thecity.nyc/2026/01/30/c...